Influence of Plant Spacing and Number of Seedlings/hill on Yield, Its Components and Some Grain Quality Characters for Three Egyptian Rice Cultivars

Doaa A. Abd ElBary , Khaled M.H. Abd El Salam and Ahmed M. Shaalan

Two field experiments were conducted at the Agricultural Research Station, Alexandria University, during 2017and 2018 summer seasons to evaluate the response of three rice cultivars (Giza 179, Sakha 106 and Giza 178) to different plant spacing (15 x 20, 20 x 20 and 20 x 25 cm) and number of seedlings/hill (2, 3 and 4 seedlings/hill). A split split plot design with three replicates was used in both seasons. Comparison between means showed that rice cultivar Giza 178 gave the highest values for number of panicles/m2, number of filled grains/ panicle, amylose % and protein % in both study seasons. Furthermore, for 1000-grain weight, grain yield and broken % characters, Giza 179 cultivar gave the highest values for such characters in both seasons. Sakha 106 showed superiority in hulling % and milling % in both seasons. The highest values for number of panicles/m2, number of filled grains/panicle, grain yield, hulling %, milling % and protein % in both seasons were noticed by transplanting rice at 20 x 20 cm plant spacing. Furthermore, for 1000-grain weight, broken % and amylose % characters, transplanting at 20 x 25 cm gave the highest values for such characters in both seasons. Three seedlings/hill showed the highest values for number of panicles/m2, number of filled grains/panicle, 1000-grain weight, grain yield, hulling %, milling % and protein % in both seasons. Interaction between cultivars and plant spacing showed that Giza 179 rice cultivar and 15 x 20 cm plant spacing showed the highest values for grain yield in both seasons. Moreover, Giza 178 and four seedlings/hill showed highest number of filled grains/panicle and protein % in 2017 season only while, highest amylose % in 2018 season only. Transplanting rice at 20 x 20 cm plant spacing and 3 seedlings/hill showed superior values for grain yield and milling % in 2017 only, while it recorded the highest values for number of filled grains/panicle and 1000-grain weight in 2018 season only. Sakha 106 rice cultivar sown at 20 x 20 cm plant spacing and 3 seedlings/hill showed superiority for hulling % in both seasons, respectively and superiority for number of panicles/m2 in 2017 season only. Moreover, the highest value for number of panicles/m2 in 2018 was recorded with Giza 178 rice cultivar sown at 20 x 20 cm plant spacing and 3 seedlings/hill.